


The Troubles Rain can Bring

by SucculentStrawberries



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Accidental wetting, Clothed Wetting, Cold, Desperation, Embarrassment, F/M, Fever, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Omorashi, Sickfic, The relationship tag is there if u squint or ship them as hard as i do lmao, Wetting, this was originally just gonna be a fluff fic with piss in the middle but i changed it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-28
Updated: 2017-08-28
Packaged: 2018-12-20 20:01:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11928192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SucculentStrawberries/pseuds/SucculentStrawberries
Summary: Try as he might to be the strong, endurance-filled leader the Phantom Thieves rely on, falling droplets seem to cause trouble for Akira (in more ways than one). Will these challenges be his downfall? Or will they present a lesson in how much is truly expected of a leader by their teammates?





	The Troubles Rain can Bring

**Author's Note:**

> ((AN/ haha that summary sounded like a legit fic but this is just piss and fluff lol
> 
> Sickfic (no nausea) that also contains omorashi and some Joker/Queen fluff. Akira totally has a giant crush on Makoto but is too much of a dweeb to act on it, Makoto's feelings (be it simply platonic or romantic) are up to the reader. This actually sprang from a completely non-kink fluff fic idea I had planned with a slightly similar premise, (but from everyone else's pov instead of Akira's) but I ended up writing this piss version first because I have no self control oops. I still want to write the other fic to show what they all got up to at the clinic and store while he and Makoto were busy here.))

"Guys, really, I'm fine."  
  
"Dude, you were totally draggin' back in Mementos, and you almost passed out on the way back here! I'm practically holdin' you up! You aren't fine, man."  
  
"Why didn't you tell us if you were feeling this bad, Akira? We're your friends, right?"  
  
"Woah, you almost look as white as Inari's mask!"  
  
"Yes, truly this is a pitiful condition..."  
  
"I'm going to hurry ahead and inform Boss of everything that's happened. While I do that, can you all manage to get him upstairs?"  
  
"Hey, call the doctor too! I'm always reading his texts when he gets them, so I know the number!"  
  
Akira eventually resigned himself to being swarmed by his friends as they brought him to his room and dropped him on the bed. It was definitely a relief to lay there and rest after all of the struggling today to try and look like he wasn't dying, and he was almost glad they'd finally seen through his facade. Almost. Because now he was in for six lectures...seven if Sojiro started ripping into him.  
  
It wasn't really a surprise he'd finally gotten sick. That's what he got for all those nights walking in the rain to buy supplies or complete other tasks. But he was the leader of the Phantom Thieves, and someone had to make sure everything was in order, that they were prepared for battle. And yes, he had an umbrella, but he usually tried to angle it behind him to better shield Morgana and his backpack from the downpours.  
  
Leaning his head back further into the pillow, he tried to keep himself alert while they chattered amongst themselves, occasionally mumbling out an answer to one of their questions, and then being forced to elaborate when he tried to downplay his symptoms.

~~~

  
When he first came back into awareness, he wasn't sure what had awoken him, or what time it was. All he knew was that his senses were dulled, his head was spinning, and it took him quite a few minutes to actually process what his eyes were showing him from where he lay: his room, calm and quiet and messy as ever, and a girl sitting a few feet away, engrossed in her own activity.  
  
How long had he been out? The last thing he remembered was everyone fussing over him, and talking by his bed, and giving him drinks-oh... _oh.._.  
  
The reason he'd woken up was now crystal clear, and he snuck a hand down between his legs for a second and squeezed against the wild throbbing, squirming a bit under the covers. They'd given him _so many_ drinks...he doubted he'd ever had to go this badly in his life!  
  
He still felt so dizzy and weak though...could he even sit up without passing out? And there were the stairs too...  
  
He bit back a soft groan and tried to ignore his pulsing bladder for a minute. He didn't need to panic. The others were still here. Alright, so he'd rather not have any of the girls escort him for something this personal, but he had a friend who was both close enough and crass enough to help without making things too awkward. He didn't see him in this room though.  
  
"Makoto?" It was more of a croak than a word.  
  
"Mmm? What do you need, Akira?"  
  
She'd immediately looked up from her seat on the couch, setting her book aside after she marked the page and repositioning herself. Shoulders square, hands clasped together in her lap, that slight upwards tilt of her head, all of those little quirks of hers when she was ready to be extra attentive. Miss Student Council President. Normally he might have appreciated it, but in this state he was actually just growing more self-conscious under her gaze. His face was burning, but then again, part of that could be the fever that was still blazing through him.  
  
"I...er..." He licked his lips, trying to work some moisture back into the desert that his mouth had become after his nap. "Ryuji...Where's Ryuji?" His ears were stopped up enough to make judging his volume difficult, but he knew it had come out quietly when the brunette had leaned forwards to catch his question.  
  
"He went out with Ann to pick up your medicine from that doctor you know, um, Miss Takemi? I called her and described your symptoms while you were resting, and she said she would gather up some prescriptions, free of charge." Makoto smiled slightly. "I offered to pay her, but she said for _you,_ she wouldn't accept anything. You certainly know how to make some interesting friends!"  
  
He forced a smile at that, but the chuckle that came with it brought a quick grimace to his face before he managed to regain composure. "Er, how soon will he be back?"  
  
She rose from her seat to walk over, her thin eyebrows furrowing in thought. "It may be a while. Futaba, Yusuke and Morgana had mentioned meeting up with them after they were done to pick up some other things before they all came back here. I'm not sure what, exactly, they said it was a surprise. I volunteered to stay here with you, since Boss is still running the café downstairs. He was worried about you, you know. He said he'd even close an hour sooner tonight so he could keep an eye on you." One of her hands traced the edge of the bed gently. "Why are you asking about Ryuji specifically? If you need anything, I can get it for you."  
  
Crossing his legs under the blankets, he bit his lip for a moment before shaking his head. Or at least, he started to, but the motion sent the room spinning, so he quickly stopped. "No, uh, it's fine. There was just, er..." Ugh, it was hard to think of an excuse when his head felt this foggy, and the throbbing in his abdomen wasn't helping. "It's nothing. Just something I wanted to ask him." He hoped that sounded casual enough. Then again, when you were this low on energy and every word was a forced groan, could anything _really_ sound suspicious?  
  
According to Makoto, the answer was no, because she nodded in understanding. "I see. He was your first friend when you moved here, wasn't he? I suppose you two _are_ very close." She chuckled lightly, a hand covering her grin and trying to muffle the noise. "You should have seen him after we brought you up here! He was bossing us around to grab blankets and ice packs, and telling us how to lay you down...I never imagined I would hear _Ryuji_ telling someone to be _careful!_ He practically _dragged_ Ann out of the door to go get your medicine!" She shook her head in amusement, and he found himself grinning as well at the mental picture she'd painted. "I know we all tease him sometimes, but he truly is a great friend to have, isn't he?"  
  
"Yeah, he is. You're a great friend too though, Makoto. I'm glad you're here." he murmured, glancing up at her for a moment before his bleary gaze returned to the large potted plant across the room from his bed. Alright, maybe he kind of wished she wasn't here at this _exact moment_ though. Because if Ryuji wasn't going to be back for a while, or even...Yusuke (as strange as that man could be, he was desperate enough now to accept his help), he didn't really have any hope of getting downstairs. Even if he did, with customers he might have to wait for the restroom to open up, and he really didn't feel like standing up for longer than necessary. Not to mention having someone that sick in view probably wasn't great for business. But the plant was here...  
  
"Oh, well, um, thank you..." Her voice pulled him out of his thoughts, and the reminder that Makoto was in the room when he'd been considering an embarrassing plan like _that_ sent his face flushing hot enough that he was sure it was bright red. It also sent his bladder throbbing even harder in protest at the option that he'd only briefly thought about being denied, his body almost begging him to reconsider. A soft whine escaping his breath at the sudden increase in pressure, he tried to shift his hips around under the blankets and rub his thighs together. It didn't help much.  
  
"Akira, are you alright? You look quite uncomfortable." It was hard to wipe the grimace off of his face this time as he forced himself to stop squirming. "I-I'm fine. Trust me."  
  
"You don't look fine. You don't have to be the leader right now. It's okay to ask for help, alright? You're always taking care of us, but you need people to take care of you too..." He felt a cool hand brush his forehead and shuddered slightly, although the cause of his response he wasn't quite sure of. It could have been the shift in temperature, or who the hand belonged to, or the increasingly urgent signals wracking his body. "You're burning up, would you like me to get you a drink?"  
  
"No!" He still couldn't raise his voice much, but the suddenness with which he'd blurted it out caused her to flinch away all the same, and he felt a twinge of guilt that was somehow more painful than all the _other_ twinges. He ran a hand through his hair (ugh, it was sweaty). "S-Sorry, I didn't mean it like that. I'm just, um, not thirsty..." Actually, his mouth was so dry his words were practically sticking, but there was no way he wanted to risk adding to his problem.  
  
"Oh, I, er, I see..." She didn't seem convinced, studying him with those wide eyes again, but she soon nodded and, thankfully, dropped the subject. "Well, surely there has to be _something_ I can do for you?"  
  
Makoto really was trying to be such a good nurse. He didn't want to brush her off entirely, that might hurt her feelings. She'd had so many talks when they were alone, about those feelings of uselessness...  
  
"Could you, maybe...turn on the tv?" he finally suggested. "I think there's a movie next to it we could watch." Maybe it would help distract him, at least until the others returned and Ryuji or Yusuke could help him get downstairs.  
  
"Oh, of course!" The brunette quickly made her way over to the table, popping open the dvd case and fiddling with the remote and dvd player until she got it working. "Mecha Hard? This is an action movie, correct?"  
  
"Yeah. It's got motorcycles in it, y'know."  
  
"Does it now?" He glanced over to catch a hint of a smile on her features. "You probably won't be able to see very well lying on your side, will you? Let me get you another pillow."  
  
In a few moments she'd reached his bed again, a big pillow tucked under her left arm. "I'm going to help you sit up, okay?" He nodded slowly and propped himself up a bit on his elbow. Soon, she had a gentle grip on him, carefully guiding him upwards and towards the pillows she stacked behind him. They were partway through the process when he couldn't help a sharp gasp as he was shifted completely upright, gravity and the position adding a new wave of sharp pressure to the balloon swelling in his abdomen. Doubling over slightly, he squeezed his thighs together with a groan as Makoto hovered over him. "Akira, what's wrong?!? Did I hurt you? Are you going to be sick?"  
  
He frantically shook his head again, trying to ignore the awful sensation the action caused. "No, it's fine! J-Just a cramp. I guess I was on my side for too long..." He tried to flash her a smile as he forced himself to sit up, his thighs quivering. "Trust me, you didn't hurt me. I, er, I'm okay now. Let's just watch the movie."  
  
"Alright...but if you start feeling bad again, tell me, okay? I'm here to help you."  
  
He couldn't bring himself to do much more than nod, turning his focus to the movie as it started. Distracting himself worked for about 15 minutes before the thigh clenching felt useless, and he had to switch between crossing his legs or sneaking his hand under the blankets to clutch himself during stronger waves, and trying to keep still whenever it felt like Makoto was looking. He had to wait, there was no other option. He fought shadows every other day, this was nothing!  
  
Except as soon as the motorcycles started driving through heavy rain, with pattering noises and water sloshing everywhere, he felt a jet of warmth hit his underwear, and suddenly shadows seemed much, _much_ easier to fight than his own body.  
  
"Akira?"  
  
Flinching at the voice in his ear, he pressed his legs together again, glancing at the concerned girl on the bed with him. "Y-Yeah?"  
  
"You look upset, and you're fidgeting quite a bit. Are you _sure_ you're alright?"  
  
"Yeah, um, just trying to get comfortable. I'm not used to laying around this much." It came out breathier than he would have liked as he shifted his hips again.  
  
"I suppose that makes sense. It seems like you're always busy rushing around." she chuckled. "Then again, I must seem the same when I'm buried with council work."  
  
He was relieved she'd believed him, but a second spurt sent his heart pounding and his body flushing hotter than it already was. Fuck. He _really_ wasn't going to make it until one of those two got back here...it was so warm and wet under the fabric, it seemed like every drop was right at the edge of coming out! He couldn't stop his thighs from shaking as another strong tremor ran up his spine, almost pulling a whine from his lips.  
  
"Mmm...U-Um, M-Makoto?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
He couldn't bring himself to look at her, directing his gaze to the blankets on top of him as he re-crossed his legs. "I, um..." This was mortifying, and his dry throat wasn't helping him find the words. But she was his only option, even if it was also the _last_ option he would have wanted. "Sorry, er, c-could you...I-I kind of need the bathroom..." His hand was partially over his mouth by the end of the sentence, but another wave of desperation sent it to grip his knee instead as he tightened his thighs. Could he even _stand_ like this?  
  
"Um, could I...? _Oh..._ " He practically heard a ding as the lightbulb went off in her head as Makoto realized what he'd meant, and she hopped off of the bed with the same speed she had when she was jumping into battle. "My apologies, I should have realized sooner! After all that we had you drink to stay hydrated, it's really no wonder that you would be so-ah, sorry, talking about it probably isn't helping!" A light blush was beginning to coat her cheeks at the subject, and she glanced away to pause the movie before she turned back to him. "Here, let me just untangle the blankets..."  
  
He tried his best to stay still as she unraveled the thick comforters wrapped around him, moving his hands out of the way and keeping his legs uncrossed despite everything in his body _begging him_ to do otherwise. He could at least try and save a hint of dignity, even if his entire frame was shaking like a leaf. After what seemed like an hour (even if it was only a minute or two), he was finally free, and Makoto leaned forwards.  
  
"Um, what would work best? Perhaps if I just grab under your arms?"  
  
Carefully, she gripped under his armpits and began partially lifting him while he scooted off of the bed. His feet touched the ground for a moment, but as soon as he was standing the room shifted and the floor seemed to be jumping up to meet his face! He was abruptly jerked to a stop before it reached him, and after a moment he managed to make out faint sounds besides the ringing in his ears as he was tugged upwards.  
  
"Oh my! Akira, it's alright, I've got you! Stay with me, you're okay..."  
  
The room was still spinning, and his head felt so foggy he could barely think to do more than turn and cling tighter to the girl holding him as he tried to get his bearings, panting slightly with the heat flooding his body. Why was it so hot in here? And why did she sound so far away?  
  
"Akira, focus on my voice, alright? We're going to stand here and see if your dizziness passes. It's probably just the shift in position, you should feel better in a few minutes." Her voice sounded a bit strained, but then again, he _was_ kind of putting all of his weight on her. He wanted to pull away to try and ease the burden, but his limbs felt too weak to support him completely.  
  
The fog was starting to lift, but only because another feeling had cut right through it. He remembered the reason they were trying to move in the first place as his bladder spasmed harshly again, the throb so strong that it caused him to yelp and jerk against her (Distantly, he caught another "Akira!"). More signals followed and forced him to squirm with new urgency, and the shivering hand he shoved against his crotch to try and hold it soon felt another stream of warm liquid running against the skin as it leaked through his pants. "Mmm...M-Mako...I h-have to..." He was so _full,_ every drop was running down to the edge of his member, and even though he managed to (barely) clench off the flow with a whimper, he couldn't stop the desperate quivering throughout his muscles. _"Please..."_ He wasn't sure if he was whispering that desperate plea to her or to himself...  
  
"It's, um, it's going to be alright! We'll get downstairs in just a minute or two, so just try to hang on until then. You can do this." He felt her hands shifting as she adjusted her grip to keep supporting him. "Alright, let's try walking again. The stairs are only a couple of feet from here."   
  
Slowly, he shuffled along with one hand on Makoto's shoulder and the other between his thighs, trying to keep his legs together as much as possible. The knowledge that relief was so close was only making him even more desperate, and every pulse and throb felt like he was about to explode. Somewhere beyond the haze of sickness and his all-consuming urges, he found he still had room to feel shame. This entire scenario made him feel like a toddler, and while that would have been embarrassing enough with any of the others, it was twice as mortifying to know _Makoto Nijima_ was the one seeing him like this and gently tugging him along. Miss Student Council President and a third year, one of the most mature and striking people he'd ever met, and here he had his hand shoved against his pants trying not to drench himself like a 5 year-old while he was pressed up against her.  
  
"Alright, we're here. That wasn't so difficult, was it?" Her smile was slightly awkward, but he appreciated her attempt at encouragement. "Now, perhaps I should step down first, and then you can-"  
  
He zoned out and missed whatever else she'd been saying as he caught sight of the stairs in front of them, the dull murmur of customers floating up to reach him. Usually it took no time at all to travel down there, but right now the trail seemed impossibly long, stretching on and on...before he could even consider how hard it was going to be to actually walk down them in this state, the stairs seemed to be swirling, and suddenly the fever and ringing ears came back as he staggered forwards, one of his feet hitting empty air.  
  
"Akira!"  
  
He was yanked backwards with a sharp tug, his back smacking against Makoto's chest as she pulled him away from the edge of the stairs and back into the room.  
  
"I-It's alright, I've got you! Try to regain your balance!"  
  
Still trying to regain his footing as the floor spun underneath his socks, he stuck his arms out to either side, two other arms wrapping firmly around his midsection to hold him steady.  
  
Unfortunately, the added pressure from those arms combined with his widened stance and lack of concentration to tempt his weakened body into letting another long, hot stream of liquid pour down his leg. A choked gasp escaped his lips as he shoved his legs together and crammed both hands down between them as tightly as he could (and trapping Makoto's arms in the process, he would later realize, but he was running on pure instinct right now). "No no no, _please_ no..." He couldn't move, he could barely _breathe_ without the pressure skyrocketing, and his member was practically throbbing with the urgent pulses his body was sending out. He had to hold it though, he _had_ to, even if it hurt and burned and throbbed more than he'd ever felt in his life! Even if his body felt like it was on fire and he was still dizzy, he couldn't just let it-  
  
But despite his best efforts to clench them, his muscles were still sore and weak from everything else his body was going through, and he could only stay trembling for a few more seconds before he felt his exhausted bladder giving in, the first bit of warm urine trickling against his legs and pants again. The trickle soon turned into a hissing, splattering _torrent_ as his pants and hands became utterly soaked, his socks quickly going damp as well. He couldn't help the soft, relieved moan that escaped his lips as he shuddered from the heat flooding him, and the room was filled with the pattering and splashing sounds of his piss hitting the hardwood flooring. The dam bursting from his member after he'd been in agony for so long was nothing short of _orgasmic,_ a hot jet of liquid rushing along with sweet release, and he could only pant and shiver as he tried to keep up with all of the different sensations rushing through him when he was already partially delirious.  
  
Arms tugging against him soon caught his attention though, and it was with a jolt of horror that he remembered who they belonged to. Makoto was trying to subtly squirm out of his grip, and as he felt her rubbing against his back he realized _just how close_ they still were, and that she was seeing all of this happen. No, she could probably _feel it oh fuck how much was he getting on her?_

  
He yanked his arms up and staggered to try and get away from her, managing to sidestep before all of the movement made his head start spinning again and he hit the floor with a hard thud as he landed on his back. He struggled to sit up with a gasp, soon cringing as he saw the trail that was along the wood from where he sat now to where he'd started. Makoto was standing over him with wide eyes that he couldn't quite read, and her entire front from the stomach down was soaked, and he was _still_ gushing like a fire hose and he really hoped he would kill over right here so he'd never have to face anyone again, especially not _her._ His cheeks felt like they were on fire, but he couldn't find the ability to look away from the face above him. What he hated the most was that as _awful_ as this felt, to lose control so close to the bathroom and make a mess all over himself in front of someone so composed, it still felt _nice_ too, just to finally let go and have some relief, to not have to fight...  
  
After another minute of awkward silence, his stream finally dribbled to a stop, leaving him less sore than he'd been trying to hold everything in, but still with slight soreness and a few stinging pains in his abdomen. Not that that pain could compare to the _crushing mortification that_ he could now become fully aware of. Even the dull fog of his congestion wasn't taking that away.  
  
"I..." It was less of a word than a cracking noise forced out of his throat, and he felt a rush of heat as his face flushed all over again, warmth stinging at his eyes. He fought to swallow against the sandpaper of his tongue, his arms shaking where he was holding himself upright, the liquid underneath his hands a fresh reminder of what he'd just done as he tried not to slip in it.  
  
"Akira...i-it's...um..." The awkwardness in her voice might as well have cut him. At least if she'd scolded him and stormed out it would've been over with. But she was still _trying_ to be nice about this, to help him and find reassuring words, even though she was clearly disgusted (that much he could see in the slight grimace she was fighting to hold back, and the way she kept trying to adjust her clothes, only to flinch when her hand touched sodden fabric).  
  
He'd opened his mouth to tell her to go home and change, to leave him here to deal with his own mess that he probably deserved for not sucking it up and asking her to take him sooner. Instead, the words that came out were a half-choked "I'm sorry..." as he clasped a hand over his mouth to try and muffle a sob (a hand he quickly yanked away when he realized he'd just let his own piss touch his face). He sniffled as he struggled to hold back the hot tears trying to spill out of his eyes, and he glanced away from the blurry girl towering over him. It was strange, because, being taller, _he_ was normally looking down at _her,_ but this felt like the appropriate size for him right now. Just a mess of a boy on the floor, so far from her level...  
  
"I'm sorry, I-I should've...I-I didn't mean to-" He didn't get to finish speaking as Makoto stepped over and knelt down (trying her best to avoid the puddle he was in). Hesitantly, she placed a hand on his shoulder, and he slowly managed to make eye contact.  
  
"Akira, it's...um, it's alright. I don't believe you could have helped it, so please try not to blame yourself. As they say, what's done is done, right? And, um...at least you don't have to...er, you know..." Her face was going red, and she glanced away, her words faltering. Clearly she wasn't used to giving her fellow students guidance for _these_ types of scenarios.  
  
It was true that it had at least solved one problem, but that didn't mean everything was okay! Shifting uncomfortably in the puddle that was quickly growing cold, he firmly shrugged off Makoto's hand. "It's not alright! And I _could_ have helped it if I'd just..." His words were interrupted by a shuddering breath, and he was forced to squeeze his eyes shut for a moment as a few tears slid down his face. If he'd just _asked earlier_ instead of getting embarrassed about it just because...was it _really_ just because she was a girl, or was it because she was...well, _her..._  
  
Either way, it had been stupid, because _pissing all over himself in his own room right before the stairs_ was _twice_ as mortifying.  
  
Trying to turn and wipe his eyes with his shoulder (since his lower sleeves were soaked), he struggled to keep from breaking down into crying outright, although the added awfulness from being sick kept tempting the waterworks. "A leader sh-shouldn't act like this." he murmured. "How can you trust me for the big tasks if I can't even make it to the damn bathroom?" He was no better than a little kid! His friends, they all expected so much from him, but he was even weaker than they were! Would any of the others even respect him once they heard about this? He doubted it. "You should be our leader, Makoto. You're more qualified anyways..."  
  
He'd drawn a breath, this time to actually ask her to leave, but he was interrupted by a firm voice.  
  
"That's enough, Akira! I don't want to hear another word of this pity party!" It was the same tone she'd used a few times before when she really put her foot down, and it was surprising enough to silence him.  
  
Despite that fierceness, her expression softened almost immediately, and she sighed for a moment before speaking again. "Akira, I understand that this has been a...um, rather humiliating experience for you..." she murmured, an hint of apology in her tone. "But I refuse to accept that line of thinking. I don't have the social skills that you possess, that much is proven by all of those other acquaintances you have, like the doctor. And those skills are _essential_ to being an excellent leader. And did you forget? The reason you fell so ill to begin with was because you were working so hard to take care of all of us, and that's just what a leader does! No one can take your place Akira, and a minor incident like this isn't going to change things." When he found it in him to nod slightly, she smiled and continued.  
  
"By the way, just because you've been appointed our leader doesn't mean you have to take on every burden on your own. This may sound a tad strange coming from, well, someone like me, but _please,_ stop putting so much pressure on yourself. We're a _team,_ and we should all share the responsibility of our career as Phantom Thieves. Beyond that, as _friends_ we should share our own difficulties in life and help each other work through them. So next time, don't be afraid to tell us if something is bothering you. Don't be afraid to tell _me,_ alright? You don't need to try and meet any lofty standards for us. Just be...you. That's all any of us can really do."  
  
It was a lot to take in, but he supposed she was right. Perhaps she knew how to give proper guidance after all, even in bizarre situations like this.  
  
"I...thank you..."  
  
"You're welcome. Now, would you mind standing? I need to get the floor cleaned up before the others return from their shopping escapade." she explained, grinning at the last bit as she imagined whatever the group was plotting.  
  
Slowly and shakily (with a bit of tugging from Makoto), he managed to stand up and step out of the puddle, keeping his hand propped against the wall to avoid falling as he waited for the dizziness to pass. "Makoto, y-you don't have to do that! I can clean up!"  
  
"Akira, you can barely stand. I don't think you'll be able to bend up and down without fainting, much less actually mop the flooring. I'm perfectly willing to do this for you, considering it was partially my fault anyways for not picking up on the cause of your distress earlier. Now, hang on for just a moment, I'm going to see if the customers have left yet."  
  
~~~  
  
A short time later (time spent brewing with embarrassment at the way this entire day had gone), Makoto came back up the stairs, gently ushering him by the shoulders as she led him into the empty cafe.  
  
"I, er, I believe the bathhouse would be too far for you to walk in this state, so if it's, um, alright... _youcanjustwashupinthere_..." the last bit came in a squeaky, just-barely-audible rush as a red-faced Makoto nudged him towards the single bathroom. "Um, Boss left you some supplies, s-so you should be fine in that regard. Take care not to move around too quickly! Just leave your clothes outside the door. He volunteered to fetch something from Futaba's wardrobe for me and then take all of our belongings to the laundromat. I'll bring some fresh clothes for you. Um, just sit at one of the booths and call when you're ready, and I'll help you return to your room." Satisfied she'd given him enough of a plan, she opened the restroom door and shoved him inside before shutting it.  
  
Stripping down and scrubbing with a damp washcloth and a hint of soap in a cafe bathroom wasn't exactly luxurious (in fact it was pretty darn degrading), but getting cleaned up did help him calm down a bit. It was enough to remove the physical toll of what had happened, at least. The emotional toll would still be here though. He trusted Makoto wouldn't say anything about this, or Sojiro either, but it was still going to be awkward to face them again...  
  
A light knock at the door was his signal that Makoto had returned, and he cracked it just enough for her to pass the clothes through. Once dressed, he took a moment to take a deep breathe and prepare himself before he left the bathroom, using the wall to steady him until he reached a booth seat and could plop down. It was astounding how what little activity he'd done had already drained him, and despite his attempt to stay upright he soon found his face pressed against the cool table, his arms curled around his head. His whole body was aching again, and he was even more aware of it now that he didn't have other things to occupy him. He was half-convinced his bones and flesh had turned into cement.  
  
He sat like that for about 15 minutes before Makoto arrived and nudged his shoulder. "Hey, Akira? Do you want to go back to your bed? The others will probably be here soon."  
  
Nodding groggily, he shuffled out of the booth seat and followed the brunette upstairs, soon finding himself nestled back under blankets as she adjusted his pillows. There was a question weighing on his mind though. "Er, how are we going to explain the changes of clothes?"  
  
"Boss already agreed to take the fall for us. He tried bringing a couple of bowls of curry up here, but ended up spilling them on us when he tripped. I know it's not a terribly detailed excuse, but sometimes simple stories are the most effective."  
  
"Yeah, that sounds fine." It'd be enough to fool Ryuji, at least. "Hey, um, thanks again...for everything..." He wished he could have worded it better, because her reaction to earlier hadn't been nearly as harsh as he'd expected, but it was also hard to bring up the topic again without wanting to crawl under a rock and hide. He would prefer if they both forgot the entire event altogether.  
  
"Oh, it was no trouble. That's what friends are for, right? At least, that's what you've taught me. I know you would have done the same for any of us if the situation were reversed."  
  
~~~  
  
They ended up falling into a contented silence shortly after that when Makoto quietly suggested resuming the movie. He had to admit, now that he could focus on it, the scenes where they were speeding through the rain were actually really cool. Apparently he wasn't the only one who thought so either, because any glances at the brunette proved she was completely enraptured by the action onscreen.  
  
They'd been watching for about half an hour when they heard a clamor of footsteps on the stairs, and suddenly the blonde duo entered the room.  
  
"Yo dude, why didn't ya' tell me that doctor was hot!?! Were ya' tryin' to keep her all to yourself?"  
  
Before he could respond, Ryuji had given him a friendly (if painful) clap on the shoulder. "You're a real ladies' man if ya' can get meds for free! She gave you a shit-ton!"  
  
Ann snatched the dangling bag from Ryuji's hand, rolling her eyes. "Could you _please_ stop shouting? I don't think your big mouth is gonna do much for Akira. Heck, after that whole trip with you, _I_ might need to borrow some of these for a migraine." Gently opening the sack, she started setting the prescriptions on the desk to the side of the room.  
  
Ryuji was drawing a breath to snap back when his eyebrows rose, and he had to stifle a bark of laughter. _"Holy shit,_ Makoto, what're you _wearin'!?!"_  
  
Ann's attention was also drawn to the baggy, bright yellow t-shirt, complete with a logo of some video game that he wasn't familiar with. Before Makoto could answer, more footsteps pounded up the stairs, and the rest of his friends burst in.  
  
"We have brought confectionary delights! I hope you enjoy them, they cost the last of my savings."  
  
"Yo, is that my shirt?!?"  
  
Morgana hopped onto the bed and settled between them, purring as he puffed out his chest. "I bet it was rough without me here to protect you, wasn't it? But these clowns needed my guidance, or they never would've gotten out of the store!"  
  
Makoto waited patiently for the commotion to die down before she answered the questions. "Yes, my apologies, Futaba. Boss had an incident with some curry earlier and spilled it on us, so my clothes are in the wash. I'll return everything to you tomorrow."  
  
He kept his expression neutral as he awaited their replies, even though he couldn't help the nerves twisting in his stomach. Thankfully though, the others nodded. Ryuji snorted. "Man, that sucks. You're already sick and ya' get your lunch dumped on you? Can't catch a break, can ya' Akira?"  
  
"A waste of a perfectly good meal. Perhaps that means you are hungry for these then?" Yusuke removed a box of cupcakes from one of the shopping bags.  
  
"I helped pick those out! Doesn't the frosting look totally delicious? They've got grated chocolate and everything too!" Ann commented, grinning.Â  
  
Akira chuckled under his breath, finally starting to feel at ease. Apparently he really was going to get away with earlier. "You want me to share, don't you?"  
  
"Maybe just a bite~"  
  
~~~  
  
They ended up spending the next hour gathered in his room and splitting the various treats he'd been given while his friends filled him in on all of their shopping adventures. The movie had been turned off soon after they'd started eating, when he'd realized he couldn't pay attention to both. He made a mental note to text Makoto later and ask if she'd like to finish it some time next week, since she'd seemed to enjoy it. And maybe then he could thank her more sincerely for her kindness today...  
  
Until then, he had to settle for a small nod at her as she left with the rest of the group that evening, leaving him in the café with Morgana and Sojiro.

**Author's Note:**

> ((Honestly I feel like this fic was a lot better as an idea than how I actually managed to write it. Maybe I should've cut down on the other stuff and kept it strictly with the omo portions, I don't know. I started losing steam halfway through this after working on it for weeks in between other fics I'm finishing up, but since I had so much done I wanted to go ahead and finish it to post for any p5 fans who are as thirsty for omo content as I am lmao. Feedback is much appreciated, there are some parts I'm not very happy with but I'm not sure if they're actually that bad or if it's just because I'm sick of looking at this, so other perspective would be great to help me improve! ))


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